Category: The Part-time Web Designer

I think blogging is probably done now.

I have just too many hobbies and as Sir Ken Robinson puts it:

“I’m frying an egg in here!”

If I take just a few minutes to think about what I would rather do with my free time:

 

  • Read a book with my kid
  • Spend time with my wife
  • Fix my house
  • Study hacks
  • Tweet
  • Read the news
  • Exploit #KRACK on the neighbors Wifi to get a better connection speed
  • Borrow Mr. Robot Season 3 from the Internet
  • Watch Mr. Robot Season 3
  • Delete Mr. Robot Season 3

 

It’s pretty clear that maintaining a blog is not my strong suit. It’s not my go to. It’s a thing I thought I should do to build a better more robust online presence. Not worth the time commitment.

This is specifically true in light of a narrative essay II had to write now that I’m back attending classes at a university. My desire to not be anonymous on the Internet and my desire to share what I actually think are often contradictory. This either makes me a phony or a sellout. Not sure which, but I can’t let this site just linger.

I setup that Certbot instance and got LetsEncrypt certificates started issuing over 4 months ago. What I have done since then? Certainly not put one on this site…sure I have considered moving it to Azure since I have a sweet deal on space. I could spin up a *nix VM and just make my life easier…. but would it really? I would learn a lot and it would be great…. but…. eh? Why bother.

I can’t use the Internet as a way to promote my technical skills *AND* as a platform for openly sharing my beliefs in equality, social justice, decriminalization of drugs, spirituality, and other topics that have nothing to do with my professional career. I’m locked out of deep sharing online because I too need to pay bills and have to maintain a very distinct professional edge.

TheWayBackMachine still has a lot of wonderful things I shared. I think I may commit this in that direction soon as well. Perhaps a few years from now when I’ve a few more zeros at the end of the account I’ll feel more comfortable sharing openly with the universe once again.

 

More important than anything else

When I started this blog, at least the original one back in 2000 whatever, it had very little to do with anything other than a place to digitally journal.  I’ve been well aware that I don’t write here as often as I do in my physical journal.  I’m equally well aware that I don’t have the most read blog, or that I don’t put much work into this.  I try to have a sense of humor about it.

Someone has entered my life who is much more important than this blog, and more important than almost anything else that has come before him.  My son has been born.  He’s a cute little guy.

A few weeks ago I had encountered the world of baby-centric tech, along with the predecessor pregnant-mom tech.  I thought these would be a good topic to research and learn more about.  I’ve realized that I’ll have plenty of opportunity to find out about this stuff on the way.  I’ve also realized how unimportant this is.

I’ve realized how unimportant my intentions for sorting my random collection (see messy stack) of maps for the revolutionary war battlegrounds are.  My fascination with FTPing files in the middle of the night is becoming far less important (except backups, always remember to backup!).  That random novel someone gave me months ago because I saw it on their shelf and they didn’t want it:  unimportant.

It’s not that my interests, or intentions for my career, or family have become less valid.  There simply are new priorities in my life.  I see most projects and tasks that weren’t really a priority before, losing ground very rapidly.

I am pursuing the same goals as I was before I had a kid, but I’ve gained a special insight into knowing when one of my projects is a complete waste of time, and when I should cut my losses.

What’s interesting is I feel this is going to give me a renewed joy and depth of interaction with the projects I do really enjoy, but don’t spend enough time on.  Like this blog.  Like calling my family, and long time friends.

Whatever projects I continue, or new goals I find for myself, they will all be viewed through a new daddy-sized lens.